I dominated the game from the start with cards.

The cracks in the ancient tree grew wider and wider, and a thick, dark aura, as black as ink, surged out from it, accompanied by a chilling growl.

The ground shook violently, as if some enormous creature was about to burst forth from the earth.

A nauseating, fishy stench filled the air, making it almost impossible for everyone to breathe.

Ye Ling gripped several cards tightly in his hand, his fingertips trembling slightly.

He tried to activate the power of the card, but found that the card's light was extremely dim, like a candle flickering in the wind, which could be extinguished at any moment.

The feeling of his power being suppressed filled him with a strong sense of unease.

He didn't know what he was about to face, but he instinctively felt that it would be an unprecedented crisis.

"What...what is this?" Qingyue's face was pale, she gripped Yingfeng's arm tightly, her body trembling slightly.

This sudden change caused her old, unhealed wound to ache again, and fine beads of sweat appeared on her forehead.

Seeing this, Shu Yao rushed forward to heal Qing Yue, but found that her spiritual power was also suppressed, as if bound by invisible shackles, making it difficult to circulate.

She bit her lower lip anxiously, her eyes filled with worry. "This power... is evil, and extremely powerful."

Elder Ling's expression was solemn, his gaze fixed on the ancient tree that was constantly breaking apart, and he said in a deep voice.

He felt an unprecedented sense of oppression, as if a mountain was pressing down on his heart, making it almost impossible for him to breathe.

Just as everyone was filled with doubt and uncertainty, the crack in the ancient tree completely burst open, and a huge black figure slowly emerged from it.

The figure was tall and imposing, shrouded in darkness, making it impossible to discern its exact appearance. Only a pair of scarlet eyes, like two will-o'-the-wisps, flickered with a chilling light.

"Roar—" A deafening roar resounded through the heavens and earth. The black figure broke free from the ancient tree, and a powerful pressure swept out instantly, like a raging storm, forcing everyone to retreat.

Under the powerful shockwave, Qingyue's old injuries flared up again. She winced in pain, let out a muffled groan, and swayed precariously. Yingfeng quickly supported her, his eyes filled with worry.

Shu Yao wanted to help but found that her spiritual power was also suppressed. She bit her lip anxiously, but was powerless to do anything.

Ye Ling shielded Shu Yao behind him, warily watching the enormous creature before him, his mind racing as he considered a solution. He realized that ordinary cards were utterly ineffective against such overwhelming pressure. He had to find another way… Ye Ling's gaze fell upon a card in his hand, shimmering with a faint light, and a sudden thought struck him.

This card was one he had only recently developed; it had a special function, perhaps… Just at this critical moment, Ye Ling suddenly felt the special card in his hand getting slightly warm. A surge of joy filled him; could it be…? He took a deep breath and channeled a wisp of spiritual energy into the card…

The card in Ye Ling's hand is called "Light of Purification," which he accidentally crafted from a spiritual plant called "Moon Spirit Flower."

He originally thought this card could only be used to purify some low-level filth, but unexpectedly, under such powerful suppression, it played an unexpected role.

The card emitted a soft white light, like the morning sun, dispelling the thick darkness around them and easing the oppressive pressure on everyone. Shu Yao felt her breathing become much easier and gave Ye Ling a grateful look.

Qingyue also recovered her senses, her face no longer so pale. "This... what kind of card is this?"

Elder Ling stared in astonishment at the card in Ye Ling's hand, a strange light flashing in his eyes. In all his years of life, he had never seen such a magical card.

"It's just a purification card," Ye Ling said casually, but secretly he was delighted.

It seems that the potential of this "Light of Purification" card far exceeds his expectations.

However, the crisis was not over. The black figure's roar grew more violent, the surrounding tremors became increasingly intense, and cracks began to appear in the ground, as if it might collapse at any moment.

Just then, a figure descended from the sky and landed steadily in front of everyone.

He was dressed in a long black robe, his face obscured by a hood, making it impossible to see his features clearly, but the powerful aura emanating from him was impossible to ignore.

“The auras of the Blood Demon and the Shadow have disappeared, and I tracked them here.”

The mysterious expert's voice was deep and his tone was solemn.

"Now is not the time to investigate them; let's deal with the immediate crisis first!"

Yingfeng pointed anxiously at the roaring black figure.

He feared that if things continued like this, everything here would be destroyed. "The disappearance of the Blood Demon and the Shadow must be related to this power. We must find them first!" The mysterious expert's tone was firm, showing no sign of backing down.

In his view, the Blood Demon and the Shadow were the greatest threats. Neither was willing to back down, and a fight seemed imminent.

"Stop arguing!" Ye Ling suddenly interrupted them. "The most important thing right now is to stabilize the situation first, and then we can think of ways to solve the problem."

He looked around and saw that the cracks in the ground were getting bigger and bigger, and the roars of the black figure were becoming more and more frequent. Clearly, the situation was deteriorating.

"Elder Ling, you should take Qingyue and Shuyao and leave here first. It's too dangerous here."

Ye Ling said in a deep voice. "And what about you?" Shu Yao looked at Ye Ling with concern.

Ye Ling held Shu Yao's hand tightly and whispered in her ear, "No matter what happens, I will never let you get hurt."

Shu Yao blushed and leaned gently against Ye Ling, feeling a sense of security.

Just as Ye Ling was about to activate the card again, an unfamiliar voice rang in everyone's ears... "Need any help?"

Ye Ling held Shu Yao's hand tightly, the warmth of his palm seeping through her skin and into her heart, dispelling some of her fear. He leaned down to her ear, his tone firm yet gentle: "No matter what happens, I will never let you get hurt."

A warm breath brushed against her ear, and Shu Yao's cheeks instantly flushed crimson. She unconsciously leaned closer to Ye Ling, feeling the strength emanating from him.

An indescribable sense of security welled up within her. This gave her a sliver of comfort in the perilous environment. However, this moment of tranquility was quickly shattered.

The suffocating fluctuation intensified once more, as if something was about to break free from its cocoon.

Suddenly, a group of small black monsters emerged from the center of the disturbance. They resembled bats but had sharp claws and teeth, and charged towards the group with menacing bares.

"Be careful!" Elder Ling warned, while shielding Qingyue behind him.

Yingfeng reacted swiftly, striking first. His figure flickered like a ghost, the dagger in his hand transforming into streaks of cold light, rapidly stabbing towards the small monsters.

However, what was shocking was that after the dagger pierced the little monster's body, the wound healed rapidly at a speed visible to the naked eye, as if it had not been injured at all.

“These monsters…can self-repair!” Yingfeng’s expression changed slightly, clearly he was also shocked by this strange phenomenon.

Ye Ling also joined the battle. He quickly drew a card and shouted, "Blazing Flames!"

The card transformed into a raging inferno, sweeping towards the little monsters.

However, although the flames burned the little monsters, they did not cause any real damage, and they still rushed forward fearlessly.

The little monsters began to fight back. Numerous and incredibly fast, they surrounded Ye Ling and Ying Feng. Their sharp claws and teeth attacked relentlessly, and even with their agility, Ye Ling and Ying Feng gradually began to struggle.

While dodging the attacks, Ye Ling tried hard to think of a countermeasure.

He recalled the hardships he had faced in his previous battle with the Blood Demon, and he knew he couldn't let himself be trapped by these small monsters; he had to find a solution as soon as possible.

Under Elder Ling's protection, Shu Yao and Qing Yue were temporarily spared from attack, but their hearts were clenched with worry as they watched Ye Ling and Ying Feng being surrounded.

Just as everyone was getting a bit flustered from the little monster's attacks, a chilling laugh rang out from all around.

"Hehehe... I never thought you would be trapped by these little things. How ridiculous!"

The laughter belonged to Blood Demon and Shadow, but they did not appear. The sound seemed to come from all directions, making it difficult to discern.

"Where are they?" Yingfeng looked around warily, but could not find any trace of Blood Demon and Shadow.

"It seems they have an even bigger conspiracy waiting for us..." Ye Ling's eyes sharpened, and an ominous premonition rose in his heart.

Suddenly, the ground began to shake violently, and a huge dark shadow slowly rose from the ground... "It seems the game has only just begun..."

A chilling voice rang in everyone's ears. The shadowy figure gradually came into focus; it was a gigantic skull, with eerie green flames burning in its empty eye sockets, sending chills down their spines.

The ground was still trembling, and cracks spread out like a spider web. An even stronger sense of oppression enveloped everyone, making it almost impossible to breathe.

"What kind of monster is this?!"

Qingyue exclaimed in surprise and grabbed Ling Lao's sleeve tightly.

Elder Ling's expression turned solemn, a hint of fear flashing in his eyes: "Never seen before... this aura is even more powerful than the Blood Demon's!"

The images of his previous battle with the Blood Demon flashed through Ye Ling's mind. The Blood Demon's ferocious power remained vivid in his memory.

That battle nearly depleted all his cards, and if Shu Yao hadn't healed him in time, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

The monster before him exuded a far greater aura than the Blood Demon, leaving him with a profound sense of powerlessness.

He had to find a breakthrough; he couldn't just sit and wait to die.

"Hehehe... How about it? Aren't you surprised?" The Blood Demon's sinister laughter rang out again, but his location was still uncertain.

"This is a gift we've carefully prepared for you!" The shadowy figure's sharp laughter followed closely behind, like the hooting of an owl, sending shivers down one's spine.

Ye Ling gritted his teeth, trying his best to remain calm. He knew that the Blood Demon and the Shadow Demon's goal was to disrupt their minds and throw them into disarray.

He took a deep breath and focused his attention on the monsters before him. These little monsters, though capable of rapid regeneration, were not invincible.

He carefully observed their behavior and found that although they were fierce, their attack methods were limited and they seemed to be afraid of strong light.

With this in mind, Ye Ling had an idea. He quickly drew a card called "Radiant Shield" from his deck and uttered a low shout: "Guardian Light!"

The card transformed into a shield gleaming with blinding light, protecting him and Shadowwind within it. Under the intense light, the small monsters let out sharp screechs and retreated in panic.

"Shadow Wind, now's the time!" Ye Ling shouted. Shadow Wind understood immediately, and with a flash of cold light, he swiftly sliced ​​several small monsters that couldn't dodge in two.

This time, under the intense light, the little monster's wounds did not heal immediately. Instead, a plume of black smoke rose from it, and it eventually turned to ashes.

"It worked!" A hint of joy flashed in Yingfeng's eyes. However, before they could celebrate for long, the giant skull suddenly opened its mouth and let out a deafening roar.

A powerful shockwave swept in, shattering the Radiant Shield. Ye Ling and Ying Feng were thrown back by the shockwave and crashed heavily to the ground.

"Ye Ling!" Shu Yao exclaimed, trying to rush over, but was stopped by Elder Ling.

"Don't go over there, it's too dangerous!" Elder Ling said in a deep voice.

The eerie green flames in the skull's eye sockets flickered even more violently, as if about to burst forth at any moment. It slowly raised a massive bone claw and brought it down towards Ye Ling… "It seems… we have to fight to the death…"

Ye Ling struggled to his feet, his gaze fixed firmly on the enormous bone claw, a new card clutched tightly in his hand.

This card emits a faint golden light, and an ancient and mysterious rune is engraved on it...